. . . and why many will not!

While we are all enjoying the holidays and the season, many of us will admit deep down in our hearts that 2013 could have ended much better than it did for us. We realize that just maybe, we didn’t pursue our goals for the year hard enough. Maybe we could have put in more effort in some areas and we may have been more productive or happier at the end of the year.

I, like many others, do a year review at the end of the year and note these things, and I note things I have to change or improve on in the coming year. I ask myself the question, ‘What could I have done differently?’, ‘Could I have pushed harder on that?’, ‘Should I have endured longer on that?’ . . . and the obvious answer screams out YES! I could have! I had everything I needed to make those things happen, I knew exactly what to do and how to do it, but I just didn’t do it. And I found out that the reason is not far-fetched.

Comfort versus Potential

We, as humans, love comfort. We are inclined towards it, even at the expense of our growth sometimes. We knew that that instant gratification was an impediment in the big picture of our dreams, but it was more comfortable for us at that moment.

How many people have dreams?

How many are pursuing their dreams?

How many are achieving their dreams?

The numbers obviously drop drastically from question 1 to 3. Everybody has dreams, a number of them are pursuing their dreams, but only very few are achieving their dreams. And this is largely, if not solely, a result of the level of discomfort they are ready to undergo in order to achieve their dreams.

When we get to that point where we have to choose between instant comfort (satisfaction) and potential (growth), the majority of us in a heartbeat choose comfort satisfaction over growth, and that is exactly we are still in the same situation financially, spiritually, and in all wise. For some it’s a battle, but for a lot of others, it’s a helpless fate.

What will it take?

but if you plan and don’t execute, you are still in the same danger.

Someone asked his teacher what it would take him to achieve his dreams. The teacher retorted, ‘WHATEVER IT TAKES!!’ Yes, that’s what it will take, and until you are prepared to give it your all, it might just remain a dream forever.

Too many people are willing to settle for average in life. They say they don’t really want much money, they just want to be happy. The woes of being average are better left for another discussion, but you will never find happiness being average because average is what failures claim to be when their family and friends ask them why they are not more successful.

Have you ever met a successful person who wasn’t restless – who was satisfied with where he or she was in life? They want new challenges. They want to get up and go . . . and that’s one of the reasons they are successful.

Break out of your comfort zone

We must be aware of the gap that stands between us and our potential, and let the tension of that gap motivate us to keep striving to become better.

So if you want to have a happier review at the end of next year, you must be willing to stretch in 2014!

The law of the Rubber Band was illustrated by John Maxwell in his book ‘The 15 invaluable laws of growth’. In it he explains, Rubber bands are only useful when they are stretched – and so is the human mind.

Be willing to leave behind what feels familiar, safe and secure, and launch out to make your dreams come true.

Those who will make 2014 count will be those who choose potential over comfort! Life begins at the end of our comfort zone.

Don’t leave your life to chance! Take charge!

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